The legacy you leave is the life you lead. And leadership can be a powerful tool for good—whether leading a team or developing your individual potential to achieve your personal best. Let us help you chart a course to a deeper sense of purpose and mission to serve.

Developing, nurturing, and empowering—this is you at your personal best as a coach, consultant, facilitator, or human resource professional. Explore this website to find the tools you need to train and coach aspiring leaders to achieve the extraordinary.

Anyone can learn to be a great leader—young people in high school and youth groups, undergraduates and graduate students, and executives advancing along their personal leadership journey. If you're in the business of educating emerging leaders, we're here with the evidence-based resources to help you build the foundation for transformative leadership education.

Sandra V. Bankes
College of Education
University of Denver
Doctoral Dissertation: October 1999

OBJECTIVE
To examine differences in teachers’ perceptions of exhibited leadership
behaviors of principals in higher achieving schools versus those in lower achieving
schools.

METHODOLOGY
The population consisted of all 39 elementary schools within a smallersized
urban school district in Colorado, scoring above and below predicted achievement
levels based on pre- and post District Achievement Level Test (DALT) scores (focused on
composite reading, math and language arts achievement levels in grade 3, 4, and 5) and the
principal being the building administrator for at least two consecutive years. Eight schools
met this criteria for participation; and seven agreed to participate. The LPI was modified
slightly, requesting respondents to indicate both the importance of the various leadership
behaviors as well as the extent to which they were exhibited. The LPI-Observer version
was completed by teachers (N=100) within each school. The typical teacher was female
(88%), 50+ years of age (50%), with 16+ years of teaching experience (62%), and a master’s
degree (52%). On-site visits to the schools also took place.

KEY FINDINGS
There were no significant differences in teachers’ perceptions of their
principals’ leadership behaviors (for either most important or most exhibited leadership
behaviors) based on age, gender, years of teaching experience or educational level of
respondents. Teachers viewed the leadership behavior of treating others with dignity and
respect as the most importance behavior. The top two of the ten most important were from
the leadership practice of Enabling Others to Act, and three of the top ten were from the
leadership practice of Modeling the Way. In terms of exhibited leadership behaviors the
highest score went to clearly communicating a positive and hopeful outlook for the future
(Inspiring). Four of the top ten most exhibited leadership behaviors were from the
leadership practice of Encouraging the Heart and three from Enabling Others to Act.

The most important leadership behaviors reported by teachers in high-achieving,
low SES schools had to do with Modeling the Way and Enabling Others to Act.
Significant interaction effects of SES and achievement level on teachers’ perceptions of
principals’ leadership behaviors were found on four of the leadership practices associated with Enabling Others to Act.

We use cookies to ensure that we provide you with the best user experience. By accessing our website, you consent to our Cookie Policy. Read more about our Cookie Policy. Additional information
can also be found in our Privacy Policy.